Race Etiquette
Keep in mind! Don't run, don't block the view of others, and cheer for the horse you're betting on!
Be respectful!
The most famous ancient form of horse racing was this, a highly popular and often dangerous spectator sport in both Greece and Rome. In Greece, it was included in the Olympic Games as early as 680 BC
Chariot Racing
A tradition since the first Derby in 1875, women wear large, decorative _______. While they were originally a sign of class, their size and extravagance grew with the rise of televised events in the 1960s.
Ornate Hats
Penny Chenery, won this horse as an unborn foal in a coin toss with another breeder. He is one of the most famous horses to win a Triple Crown. Every horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby could trace its lineage back to him. After his death in 1989, a necropsy revealed that his heart weighed an estimated 22 pounds, more than twice the average size for a horse. This was believed to be a major factor in his incredible speed and endurance.
Secretariat
The three most prestigious races in the U.S. for three-year-old Thoroughbreds: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
Triple Crown
They are a signature part of the tradition and are considered good luck. The style can range from elegant and wide-brimmed to whimsical and eclectic, often decorated with flowers, feathers, or ribbons.
Hats or fascinators
This holds the record as the longest continuously held sporting event in the United States. It has taken place every year since its inaugural running in 1875, even through the Great Depression and both World Wars.
Kentucky Derby
This is a staple of any derby party, often with guests filling out cards to predict the winners
Betting/ Placing bets
This horse, the 12th winner of the Triple Crown, broke a 37-year drought in 2015 and later became the first to complete the "Grand Slam" of horse racing because he won both the Triple Crown and the Classics. This horse now resides at a facility in Versaille, Kentucky with his stud fee costing about $200,000.
American Pharoah
A horse that has never won a race.
Maiden
These might be a staple at football games or other athletic events but are strictly prohibited on the race track.
Signs or banners
The earliest records trace horse racing back to nomadic tribesmen here, the first people to domesticate horses around 4500 BC
Central Asia
The official beverage, a cocktail made with bourbon, mint, and sugar, which has been associated with the event for nearly a century.
Mint Juleps
This horse is the only Triple Crown winner to retire from racing without a single loss in his career. His jockey, Mike Smith, became the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown at age 52, and his trainer, Bob Baffert, became only the second trainer to win two Triple Crowns. He now resides with another Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, in Versaille, Kentucky.
Justify
A standard unit of distance in horse racing, equal to one-eighth of a mile. The Kentucky Derby is 10 _____ long
Furlong
With a general admission ticket, you can access this, which is located inside the track's oval. It is a massive and festive area with a party-like atmosphere, giant video boards, and its own culture
The Infield
The sport's governing authority, this, was formed in 1750 to regulate racing and prevent dishonesty.
The Jockey Club
A nickname coined in 1925, this tradition involves draping a garland of more than 400 red roses over the winning thoroughbred after the race
The Run for the Roses
This horse was initially considered lazy and unimpressive, losing his first 17 starts. In 1938, he faced the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, in a match race at Pimlico Race Course. The undefeated War Admiral was expected to dominate, but this horse pulled away to win by four lengths. He was a symbol of hope for people during the Great Depression because of his "rags to riches" story.
Seabiscuit
A traditional bugle call played before the horses leave the paddock for the track, signaling that the race is about to begin.
The Call to Post
These colors are acceptable to wear at the race track
Bright, pastel, florals or red are acceptable. Pink is a tradition for Oaks Day.
The first racetrack in North America, the Newmarket Course, was built here, in 1665.
Long Island, New York
A chocolate and walnut tart in a pie shell, this dessert was invented in Kentucky in the 1950s and is a traditional favorite
Derby Pie
In a career spanning only two seasons, this horse won 20 of his 21 races. His single loss occurred in the 1919 Sanford Memorial Stakes, where he was defeated by a horse named Upset. The loss is often attributed to a bad start where he was turned sideways when the race began. Despite this, he nearly came back to win.
Man O' War
a horse who performs well in morning workouts but fails to duplicate those performances in actual races
Morning Glory